Announcing A New Project: Franko, Fables of the Last Earth

We are excited to announce that we will be publishing the English translation of Franko: Fables of the Last Earth by the Chilean writer and artist team Ángel Bernier and Cristóbal Jofré! Franko was released in its original Spanish translation a year ago, and it has received great reviews in the world of Spanish comics and literature. We are proud to have the opportunity now to bring Franko’s enchanting tales and strong, vivid images to our English-speaking audiences.

Franko is a collection of six fables about the eponymous lion and his friend Shin who live in the challenging environment of the arid high deserts of Chile. Throughout their daily lives they encounter a variety of characters living and dead (and of other unquantifiable states of existence) who, in the proper tradition of fables, teach them valuable lessons or give them a richer appreciation for the world around them. Franko’s world is foreign, yet familiar, with a rich mythology that feels ancient, even though it is totally the creation of Jofré and Bernier.

Translation is already under way. Our hope is to present Franko’s stories in a readable English version that allows the reader to become fully immersed in the stories, yet still preserves some of the flavor of the original Spanish. We’re grateful to our collaborators in Chile who have been responsible for the majority of the translation work, while we have been working on our end to make sure things will sound natural to our English-speaking readers’ ears. While most of the work has been smooth, one poetic piece at the end has posed a special challenge as we try to preserve both the original meaning and the poetic flow of the words.

If all goes well, we should have Franko ready for release at Further Confusion, 2015. We are looking into options for funding the print run with pre-orders, and we’ll announce details as they are confirmed. Our goal is to print Franko via offset processes, which will keep the cover price down in the range of Nordguard or Prydwen, as opposed to the price point of our digitally printed color graphic novels such as Dog’s Days of Summer and Red Lantern. Offset printing would also enable us to more easily offer a quality hardcover edition.